SPLEEN Oh, I walk home through the cold night and the stars are cold and hard and far away and everything I want is far away and everything I have is damnable. And home, out of the cold, warm and cluttered, home and the warm fireside and the prisoning love, home is an opiate, drawing out life from me — oh, making me forget a while, and then driving me out again to the cold bright stars, the cold and longing and raging discontent, the longing for the bright and lonely stars. — W. SHAW.

ATTENTION, PLEASE Hostel for Studenrs. In the .17th June issue of the 'Notes' we asked any students whose present accommodation was not congenial for study and who would, therefore, be interested in a hostel for students, to contact one or other of the members of the S.R.C. So far we have heard from two students. Such a response does not justify any further action on our part. However, Ave will give any student interested until 12th August to contact, us. If there is no greater response by then the matter will be dropped. Time Off For Lectures. The S.R.C., in conjunction with the University Association and the Women G-r ad nates' Association,, is preparing a case for submission to the Public Ser vice Board asking that officers of the Public Service taking a course at the College should be granted a minimum of three hours special leave per week (time not to be made up) to attend lectures. Surely here is something of vital interest to ninety-nine per cent, of College students. Will yo...

VISIT OF DISTINGUISHED ACCOUNTANT Towards the end of this year, Mr. F. Sewell Bray, a distinguished English scholar, will be visiting Aus tralia! at the invitation of the Australian Universities and the Commonwealth Institute of Accountants. Mr. Brav is at present a Senior Research Fellow of the Department of Applied Economics in the University of Cambridge, '.and a co-editor of 'Accountant Re search. ' ' He has also contributed articles to other accountancy journals. You may, be interested, to know that Mr. Bray will be in Canberra in the second week of November when he will deliver at least one public lecture and. hold a Seminar for accountancy students.

HOLIDAYS Most of the holidays which, fortunately for frayed tempers and frazzled nerves, nowadays break the monotony of working days, have come down to us from hundreds of years ago, or even thousands in some cases. The old-time feasts and holidays were nearly all originally religious festivals and some of these are not so well-known to-day but some have survived and there are some interesting legends and customs still connected with them. Going through the year in order of date, one of the first of the old festivals was Twelfth Night, the evening before the Church's Feast of the Epiphany, which commemorated the visit of the Three Wise Men, or the Three Kings. In the old days in Eng land, these Twelfth Night revels were called 'bean- feasts' and one special feature of the party was the Bean Cake, which was a large cake specially prepared and containing a large bean, in much the same way as our present-day Christmas cakes and puddings con- . tain buttons, thimbles, and other small si...

ARE YOU INTERESTED? Sports Council— A meeting will be held in the Student Common Room on Wednesday, August 17, at 7.30. Albert Hall Dance. — The dance held by the S.R.C. in the Albert Hall on July 23 was, believe it or not, a financial success. £49/16/- was collected at the door, and after tax, advertising and other expenses had been deducted, approximately £19 was cleared.

NATIONAL UNION NEWS The Australian Universities Debating Team which recently toured New Zealand appears to have had a very successful tour. In particular it should be noted that it defeated a Combined N.Z. Universities team, the Australians affirming ' that Communist parties in western democracies should be abolished.' The National Union has been asked by the National Union of Students in the United Kingdom whether arrangements could be made fo:? a Britisli University Debating Team to tour all' Australian Universities. This suggestion was welcomed, but in view of the doubt whether support for debating was sufficiently strong to make such tour financially possible, a decision was deferred pending further in vestigations. Meamvhile, the N.U.S. has been approached with a suggestion that a visit by some group other than a debating team would be prefer able. Several universities have supported the idea of holding . inteiMiniversity chess . competitions. It is understood that the National...

HOME AND BEAUTY- A FARCE IN THREE ACTS The comedy of manners is probably the most diffi cult form of drama for the amateur theatre to pro duce. Characters exist only . in strict' conventions — - those of their contemporary drama, and' of the social types portrayed. Even Congreve and ''Wycherley lack the vitality necessary to live outside these con ventions, in spite of their sexual gusto, and superb larremaffft. 'Rut! m an n firs dtp liftp.rl hv fhpsA nlnv wrights to their highest absurdities, and following the excellent production of 'Ladies in Retirement,' I felt disappointed that the Society had not attempt ed 'Love for Love' or 'The Country Wife.' Being a smart business man, Somerset Maugham advanced the dates of his play by twenty-five years. This does not alter the essential conventions of the play, which are those of Mayfair in! the 1920 's. For these the substitution of 1949 Australian manners was completely incongruous without a correspondent re-wiriting the dialogue and a ...

SPORTING HIGHLIGHTS Tennis New students may not know and old students may have forgotten that the C.U.C. Tennis Club is still in existence. Lack of its own courts forces the club to concentrate on social tennis and to avoid the .competitive field, but we sincerely hope that this is only a temporary state of affairs. On the social side the club meets every Sunday at the Y.W.C.A. courts next to the Baby Welfare Centre at Civic. There we .have, by courtesy of the Y.W.C.A., the use of two tennis courts and, through the co-operation of the members, afternoon tea. The club is under the able leadership of John Clark, who extends an invitation to all students inter ested in the game to roll. lip to the Y.W.C.A. courts any (or every) Sunday afternoon with racquet (and cup). Don't use the excuse that you don't know any of the members. They are your fellow-students and even if you don't know them, you'll get to know them much better 011 the court or over a cuppa than you? will in the lecture r...

STUDENTS' REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL The College Comes of Age. Next year the College will be twenty-one years old, an occasion which will naturally call for no small measure of celebration. Therefore, in collaboration with the College authorities, the S.li.C. is already drawing up plans to make Commencement Week, .1950, a really notable week. — a week which will be remembered for decades to come. The' highlight of the week will be the Commence ment Ball — and what a ball it will be! The Albert ^Hall, wearing, its new look (we hope), will be en gaged, the catering will, be right out of this world, novelties,, decorations, etc., will be laid on, we will, tee up the best orchestra in the district, and all. in all we will give you a terrific evening. An embryo Social Committee, consisting of Carol Schneider and Max Barton has already been formed to get things rolling. If you would like to help in any way whatsoever please get in touch with Carol or Max. The same applies to any suggestions y...

PROMETHEUS In spite of the (dare we say it) apathy of students, and their startling disinclination to appear in print, 'Prometheus/' the College magazine and big* brother to the 'Notes,' is on the verge of seeing the light of day. Yes, publication is finally n earing completion and the first post-war edition should be 'on the stalls early next month. We shall have more to say about this and future editions of 'Prometheus' in the next issue of the 'Notes' but you can start \saving your pennies and spreading the glad tidings now—we ex pect your support.

PERSONALLY SPEAKING Nan Piggin and Don Home As most of you have doubtless heard, wedding bells chimed for Nan and Don at St. John's last Saturday. Nan, as well as proving an asset of in calculable worth as far as the College library is concerned, has also, over the years, shown herself to be a very keen and energetic worker for the welfare of the students and has served for a long period on trie S.rv.U. Don, a iormer .External Affairs cadet at the College, at present taking Arts, has also worked untiringly on the S.B.C. during his all too brief period with us, this year successfully combining the duties of President of the Council and co-editor of the 'Notes.' All students join in wishing them the very greatest happiness in their new life together and in thanking them for their devotee! work for the students in the past. The very best to' you both. John Mitchell: John, a member of the S.R-.C. this year and one of our keenest hockey-ites, has again become a proud father — the second,...

WORLD STUDENT RELIEF At the close of the appeal on August 15, the total sum in hand was £22/15/3, less than half last year's total. This included collections made in various de partments and small amounts fronWboxes .placed in several Canberra, shops. The star turn of the week was the two bob sub scribed by the Accountancy I. class, which contains anything up to 30 students. Have we the lecturer to thank for that two bob bit? We should be able to forward about £30 to W.S.R. when all accounts are settled. This will include the £5 which it is expected will be the profit from the Manuka dance. The Canberra branch of the C.S.M. has already forwarded about £62/10/- to the appeal, so that Canberra 'n total will not look so sick as might be feared. To those many students who gave the cause their generous support, we say thank you — to those who did not. we won 't comment. In particular our thanks go to those hard-working members of the C.S.M. who so selfishly gave their time and energy to ...

EDITORIAL COMMENT .Recently, we felt it' necessary to point out that no useful; puiqvoso was^served by describing the Common Rooms as 'Junior'' and 'Senior.' .hi fact we said that .we thought it an insult to. the students of the -College. Apparently, we now find out, the reason for renaming these, rooms was to try and introduce a little tradition.,' without which said tradition a University can hot lav claim to being a University, til reply to this we submit first that imported tradition has little or no meaning1 to' the person1 on the spot, and second tl1at.-snr.ely/3t would be better to retain, what little fr&amp;ditioii the. College already has. The words 'Stu- dent ' y- an cl!' Staff'1 at least have a functional meaning, but / JJJn'iiibr ' , a nd : ' Senior ' ' a re rat her suggestive o'f status.1 ' .. . - .j.ylf/it- is intended to change the names of our i-ec^e.ation, r rooms, ? with which we were all familiar and- which, formed part, of: our own local tradition, why not ma...

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR From,. Rainer Hoffman, KHz Hotel, Sun-la Fe, Argentine : ::Oiir' private students' organisation would like, for better inter-universitarian understanding in the world, change : opinions and ideas with some oL; your students. We, would appreciate it if this letter gets to be known irnyoiar University. We receive letters in English, Spanish, German and French.. ' ? r -Wa ??':? ,--. - ' ' ?? ' Prp'))i Me V resident of the S.BX)., Mr. D. J. Horne: ]'/' After the severe reprimand I received at the hands of Miss Crook in a recent issue of the 'Notes,' I feel that I. am running rather a risk appearing in print again.. However, I do feel that I should place on record the gratitude of the S.R.C. for the response from ' students at the recent dance in aid of World Student 'Relief. This time there was nothing at. all. to complain about, except perhaps that a few more students would have made an enjoyable evening even. . more enjoyable. The 60 people present represented a ...